A Path to a Shinobi's Ambition
by Koizumi Tsukiyo
Summary: Six years had pasted for Naruto and his friends...what new changes will occur now that they'll all be the new Senseis? Including Side Stories.
1. A New Change

A Path to a Shinobi's Ambition

Chapter 01: A New Change 

**Written by: Koizumi Tsukiyo**

**_Disclaimer:_**_ Naruto does NOT belong to me, and I'll say this for the first and last time since I don't feel like putting them in each chapter. Please enjoy!_

**Notes:** This is my rewritten version once I finally had my new characters altogether, hope it's better than the last one. I want to thank my best editor ever, Tae, and Jenny for the greatest characters. Arigatou to you both!

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                View of the Leaf Hidden Village inside the meeting room where every single adult Chuunins and Jounins had attended, all muttering among themselves of the new changes that had just occur, waiting patiently for their Hokage to come back to end their meeting.

                "Ne! What kind of changes are these?!" an eighteen-years-old Naruto complained to anyone who would listen, his azure eyes closed to a fox-like look, "Just when I had finally become a Jounin! I will have to partner up with someone to just teach _three_ Genins! What happened to our old tradition of doing it ourselves?!"

                "To make the matter worse, you also have to pair up with another _team_," His old companion and friend, Sakura, said beside him with a heavy sigh, "So that will mean you have two others for help with three more Genins to supervised."

                Naruto gave a loud roar, "**_What_** is our Hokage thinking?!"

                "Let me remind you that Tsunade was the first woman to have the name of Hokage from the Leaf," Shikamaru stated, crossing his arms over his chest, "Women tends to have many different opinions than us men. Very annoying, they are."

                Ino, who stood beside him, gave him a hard glare, "I resent that!"

                "What about you, Hinata?" Naruto asked, facing to the quiet girl beside him, "What's your opinion for this?"

                Hinata blushed lightly as she answered with a small smile, "I agree to whatever our Hokage-sama had planned, Naruto-kun."

                "Expected from Hinata here," Kiba said with a smirk as the large dog, Akamaru, barked beside him, "Though I like it even less than all of you."

                "Who said?!" Naruto snapped shortly after.

                "Truthfully, I find this kind of change quite interesting," the older Jounin, Ikazuchi, said with a kind smile as he join in their group, looking down at them from his tall height with crimson narrowed eyes from underneath his silver hair, that has two black streaks onto each sides.

                 "Everything that's new always interested you, Ikazuchi." Naruto grumbles, "Beside, you had taught Genins alone before, so considered yourself lucky."

                "Kama agrees with me also," Ikazuchi added with a brighter smile, pointing to the silent man behind him. Kama could only shrug without a care, his large head-chopping cleaver glittering dangerously behind him.

                "That's because he's new in this Leaf Village!"

                "Be glad this doesn't involve anything like blood," Sakura said, looking straight at the Special Jounin, Mitarashi Anko, through the crowd, "Or else you'll be hearing your step-sister's excitement for the whole month, Ikazuchi-kun."

                Ikazuchi could only smile, giving a small wave at Anko when she spotted him.

                "From the position Hokage-sama is giving us," Kiba interjected, a smirk still on his lips, "It seems like more students would be failing the exams to become Genins or else how is it going to be enough to teach all of them."

                "I guess they're making it harder than before," Shikamaru said in agreement, giving a look at Naruto, "If I remember correctly Naruto, you were the only one that failed three times in a row when we were only kids six years ago."

                "SHUT UP, Shikamaru!" Was Naruto hot reply before looking at Sakura worriedly when her face was shadowed.

                And Ino immediately caught that expression, "Enough Shikamaru, I believe Hokage-sama will arrived any minute now."

                "Actually, she already had," Ikazuchi announced to the group, pointing up towards where Tsunade stood high over the crowd, a long list in her hands. "And it seems like she got the results."

                "Isn't it obvious?" Kama said coldly behind him as Ikazuchi turned around and smiled.

                "Now that I finally got everything together, I will announce the teams I had chosen in order," Tsunade spoke clearly with a grin over the crowds, still looking young and beautiful as ever, while holding up the list and beginning. Naruto gave a long sigh in boredom, hands over his head as he waits for his name to be called.

                "Team Seven: Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura…."

                Naruto mentally gave a cheer while looking over at Sakura with a small peace sign, who was blinking in shock as they both looked at each other. Hinata gave a sad look towards Naruto, _It seems like we're not in the same team again…just like the past…_

                "Team Seven would be partnered with Team Eight, which is lead by Sabakino Ikazuchi and Ankokuno Kama."

                _WHAT?!_ Naruto shouted to himself in disbelief, looking over at the scowling Kama and smiling Ikazuchi, _Them two?!_

                "It seems like we really are going to be partners," Ikazuchi said, patting against Naruto's back, "Welcome to the team, Naruto…you too, Sakura!"

                Sakura smiled when regaining from her shock, "Same for you, Ikazuchi-kun."

                "Team Nine: Hyuga Neji and Hyuga Hinata…"

                "_THAT'S MURDER!"_ Naruto hollered suddenly to Tsunade as she stopped, raising an eyebrow down at him. Once catching everyone's attention did Naruto began to sweat before giving a nervous laugh, scratching behind his head sheepishly. Hinata gave him a warm smile as Neji looked fully irritated.

                Sakura frowned, "Putting both Hyuga from different Houses isn't a very…good idea."

                "There's nothing we could really do anyway," Kiba said, scratching Akamaru behind the ears.

                "Can I continue, Naruto?" Tsunade asked him, seeing him nodded quickly, "Team Nine would be partnered with Team Ten, that will be Nara Shikamaru and Yamanaka Ino."

                Ino appeared ready to scream as Shikamaru looked at her, a small sweat-drop seen at the side of his head before he groans in annoyances.

                "I am beginning to feel that this is definitely going to be a busy and _long_ year," Naruto muttered to himself, both hands behind his head with his eyes closed as the names continue on and on. "I wonder what those Genins will do when they learn they have the coolest, Sensei-soon-to-be-Hokage – me?"

                "They'll get nightmares, that's what gonna happen," Kiba replied naturally from beside him.

                "SHUT UP, KIBA!"

                Once again, Tsunade stopped from the rude interruption while she glared down at the nervous Naruto as all eyes goes back to him. Kiba gave a low chuckle when seeing Sakura punching Naruto upside in the head, Akamaru wagging his tail beside him.

                Sakura held her fist in front of Naruto's face, "Can't you ever keep silent?"

                "Sorry!" Naruto apologized loudly to her and towards everyone else, rubbing his large bump on his head.

                Ikazuchi gave a large sweat-drop, _And__ those two would be teamed up with us?_

                "Surprising to know that Naruto could be a Jounin, rumored to be a great one at that, when he acted even lower than a Genin," Kama murmured, shaking his head. "A really big surprise indeed."

                Hinata, overhearing his words, only giggled while looking at Naruto with a warm expression on her youthful face, _Naruto-kun…_

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Thank you to those that had decided to be in the story! ^-^…I'll do the best I can by not disappointing any of you! Please R/R your opinions! Arigatou!


	2. The Genin Exam

A Path to a Shinobi's Ambition

_Chapter 02: The Genin Exam_

Written by: Koizumi Tsukiyo 

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                "Another year for new Genins," Iruka whispered to himself alone in the large empty room, looking at all the Leaf head protectors, all neatly stack in rows onto the table, "Hopefully, they'll do their best in this exam."

                "Don't they always?" A cheerful voice was heard behind him as Iruka turned around, facing the waving Kakashi, "They're all practicing very hard out there, in fact."

                Iruka gave a small frown, "At least you're not late today, Kakashi, as you usually are."

                "So what's your idea for passing this exam?" Kakashi enquired, sitting himself down onto one of the many seats in front room, leaning back against it lazily, "I can tell from this kind of room that the students would be presenting themselves in front of others."

                "All of the basic Jutsu is what they must do," Iruka replied, clipboard in hand as he sat down beside him, "And presenting at least one of their Jutsu from their lineage or their skills."

                "So you're making them show their best skill in front of others, ne?" Kakashi said thoughtfully, "That will be their disadvantage though."

                "That's the point; surviving on their own if they're in a tight situation."

                "Ah! I see you've been doing a lot of thinking, Iruka!"

                "I'm not even laughing, Kakashi…"

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                "_Henge__ no Jutsu_!" A chestnut-haired young boy shouted, tightly closing his emerald eyes in concentration before engulfed in a cloud of smoke.

                **_PUTFF!!_**

                "Ohito…that looks _nothing_ like me," His friend, Hoshi, declared with a large sweat-drop, running a hand through his black hair once Ohito transformed back to his original self. "Though I haven't looked at myself in the mirror lately but from what I can tell, I do _not_ look over fifty years old."

                Ohito glared at him, "It's not like I meant to do that, ya know! I totally SUCK at this stupid Jutsu!"

                "That's true, if you want to become a Genin, you have to know it," Hoshi nodded in agreement, giving an encouraging smile, "Try it once more, Ohito. Maybe you'll get it this time."

                "Forget it!" He cried, slumping onto the ground and crossed his arms with a pout, shifted a bit to sit in a comfortable position from the sword that was tied against him behind his back. "I give up!"

                "But…that was only your first try…"

                "So?"

                "And you need to know it by today," Hoshi reminded him with a heavy sigh, seeing his blank look, "Don't tell me you forgot the Genin Exam is today, Ohito."

                Ohito looked up into his knowing light-brown eyes with a wide crooked grin.

                "How can you forget such an important day?"

                "I do remember!" Ohito exclaimed, standing up from his spot, "It just never occur to me until now!"

                "Until Hoshi reminded you, you mean," Another deep voice joins in as both boys looked up towards the tree, or glared in Ohito's case, where another student is sitting. "I wouldn't be surprise if you're the only one that fails, Ohito."

                "Shut up, Kometto!" Ohito shouted, waving an angry fist at the quiet boy, "Who the hell ask for your opinion?"

                Kometto gazed down at him boringly with dull black eyes, "Either way, you don't have much time. I'm only here to tell you that the Genin Exam is starting now."

                "SHIT!"

                "Don't worry," Hoshi said in a patronizing tone, looking up to see Kometto already gone as he patted against the poor boy's back while leading him through the crowd of other students in front of the Academy School, "Don't think of it so much and you'll get that Jutsu."

                "Get that Jutsu, my ass," Ohito said wryly when the door opens while they both walked into the large empty room.

                "You'll make it."

                "I'm going to shove a kunai down your throat if I don't," He grumbles, taking an empty seat in the second row while looking curiously at Kakashi, who's sitting in front of him.

                "I wouldn't threaten him like that, Ohito…cause you might do fail," Kometto replied coolly from beside him out of nowhere, startling Ohito who jumped from his seat with a small yelp.

                "Do you _love_ to appear out of nowhere or what?!" Ohito yelled at him, ready to knock him senseless from his shaky fist, "And who said I will fail?!"

                "Depends on your skills in front of Iruka-sensei," Kometto muttered, pointing to Iruka, who had stood in front of them with a large smile. Ohito can only look at his teacher in dread, giving a low moan while slumping lower onto his seat.

                "Konnichiwa," Iruka greeted to the class, "As you all know, your final exam to become Genin will start today. Had you all learn the three basic skills you were suppose to know for passing?"

                Many chores of 'yes' echoes through the classroom as Ohito groans louder in despair. Hoshi smiled at his troubled friend before facing to the front of the room for further instructions. Kakashi slightly shifts from his seat to look at Ohito behind him.

                "You all will go up in front of others in alphabetical order where Kakashi and I will be judging you. Please do your best," Iruka said before taking his seat.

                "No one had told us we'll be presenting ourselves in front of the whole class!" Ohito commended in slight panic, looking over at Hoshi, "Why didn't you tell me?!"

                Hoshi frowned, "I didn't know about this myself, Ohito…"

                "Shouldn't Kurenai-sensei mention this to you? She's _your_ aunt!"

                "Andou Ohito," Iruka interrupted, calling the first name on the list as the class suddenly grew quiet.

                _Why can't I be born from a clan that starts with the **LAST** letter of the alphabet?!_ Ohito complains in his thoughts, ready to cry while standing nervously in front of the two teachers. He looked up with a small smile at Hoshi, who gave him a thumbs-up for luck.

                "Let's see how well you can do," Kakashi said, tapping against the head protectors on the table in front of him, "If you want to earn these, that is."

                "First Jutsu, Bunshin no Jutsu," Iruka instructed with a comforting grin, "I want you to create four clones of yourself."

                "Easy enough," Ohito said with a smirk, before frowning as he concentrates, "_Bunshin__ no Jutsu_!"

                After his cry, exactly four clones began to appear as they all line up straight beside Ohito, who gave a proud smile with a peace sign.

                Iruka nodded in approve, "Kawarimi no Jutsu."

                The clones all disappeared in a puff of smoke as Ohito stood there, eyes widen in shock while dropping to the ground when a shuriken suddenly came flying, barely missing him in a mere inch, "WHAT IN THE HELL?!"

                "Oh? I thought you have performed the Jutsu already," Kakashi said, giving a crescent eyes smile, "My apology...but that would be a fail, you weren't fast enough."

                Ohito gritted his teeth in anger, glaring at Kakashi while looking nervously at Iruka, who's writing notes onto the clipboard. Iruka sighed, "Last one…Henge no Jutsu."

                _NO!! NOT THAT!!_ Ohito began to sweat, giving a slow nod and takes deep breaths, mentally having a nervous break down, _What__ do I do? What do I DO?!_

                 "Transformed into Iruka here, Ohito," Kakashi said, ignoring his curious look, "Hopefully, it won't be so hard for you."

                _I am beginning to **HATE** him! Despised him! He can go to HELL for all I care!_ Ohito thought furiously, his hands in its right position for the Jutsu and shouted acidly, "_Henge no Jutsu_!"

                **_PUTFF!_**

                Both Iruka and Kakashi's faces where blank with wide eyes as soon as Ohito transformed back in a puff of smoke. He stared at their identical faces while hearing snickers from the students and immediately knew what would happen next while looking up at Iruka with a sweaty face. _Shit…_

                "Ohito…" Iruka began kindly, before it changes immediately as his head grows ten times bigger with fire in his eyes, "DO I LOOK LIKE I WEIGHT MORE THAN A TON TO YOU?!"

                "I'M SORRY!" Ohito cried, couching down onto the ground and held his head, "It's not like I MEANT to do that, ya know! I'm just never good at that kind of Jutsu! Ask Hoshi if you don't believe me!"

                Hoshi shook his head, _You shouldn't said that, Ohito…_

                Kakashi gave him a boringly look as he stood from his seat and went to stand beside him, "That was expected."

                Ohito glared murderously at him.

                "Now perform one of your special Jutsu on me."

                He blinked, "Eh…?"

                "The last part of the exam," Kakashi replied, hands in his pocket and stood there sluggishly, "I believe you do this Jutsu with that sword behind you that belongs to your uncle, ne?"

                Ohito narrowed his emerald eyes, reaching behind and draw his sword from its scabbard as it glints from the light. Everyone, including Iruka, sat silently to themselves, watching them fully with interest.

                "You know what you're lacking of?" Kakashi asked him, closing his eyes, "Speed…you're just so slow."

                "_Mikazuki no Mai!_" Was an angry cry as Kakashi looked up, seeing two clones charging at him with great speed before the third appear as they attack altogether. It had happened so quickly that Ohito had to stop in confusion while his clones disappeared, his breath quickens. He then tried to struggle against Kakashi's arm, which was around his neck in a tight grip and was unable to move, _DAMNIT!_

                Kakashi then releases him, looking at the sword that he had managed to grab before giving it back to the boy with a wide smile, "It's a really good sword…do not lose it, Ohito."

                Ohito grabbed for the sword and sheathed it back with its scabbard before turning on his heels and walked back onto his seat. As he sat and watched his other classmates presenting themselves perfectly one by one, his fist clenched onto his shorts and gritted his teeth in anger, his eyes hidden underneath his bangs. Many times did he literally fell off his seat in disbelief, watching even the weakest girl in his class doing many perfect Jutsu.

                It wasn't until long did the Exam have finally ended…

                "Your result for passing is when the Leaf Head Protectors will be given out to you as I called your name," Iruka announced when finish comparing notes with Kakashi, "Congratulations…Yagami Tenko."

                Kakashi gave a wide proud smile, handling a brand new protector to his own young niece as she thanked him silently, petting her small snow leopard that was on her shoulders. Ohito cursed, watching Kakashi continuing handling out protectors to excited new Genins before he stop in front of him with lazy eyes. Ohito lowered his head quietly from the uncomfortable silences onto his hands, wishing he were to disappear.

                "And Andou Ohito…"

                Ohito immediately perked and lifts his head up in surprise; staring at the grinning Iruka before looking up into Kakashi's smiling face. He could only stared dazedly at his own head protector in Kakashi's hand, too shock to even move. It was Hoshi's small laugh and Kometto's chuckle that snap him out from his trance before reaching out to take it.

                "Your uncle would be very proud of you, Ohito…" Kakashi whispered to him, backing away as Hoshi gave him a forceful slap in the back that almost sent his head collided against the seat in front of him.

                "What did I tell you?" Hoshi said, ruffling the short boy's hair. "You pass, didn't you?"

                "Y-Yeah…" Ohito managed to mutter, a smile crawling on his lips.

                Kometto looked at him monotonously, "For a second, I thought you'll be sprinting out of class…you weren't planning on doing that, are you?"

                "WHO THE HELL ASKED YOU?!"

                Hoshi could only sweat-drop.

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Henge no Jutsu: Transformation Skill

Bunshin no Jutsu: Clone/Split Body Skill

Kawarimi no Jutsu: Body Substitute Skill

Mikazuki no Mai: Dance of the Crescent Moon [From Gekkou Hayate]

**_That's all I have! Though I hope the story is turning out okay…Please R/R! Arigatou!_**

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	3. The Meeting

A Path to a Shinobi's Ambition

Chapter 03: The Meeting Written by: Koizumi Tsukiyo 

A/N: I'm SOO sorry for the long delay! It's just that I've been busy with school and everything. A warning though is that my grammar is STILL bad and will never improve! If there are a lot of errors in here, then I'm sorry! Please R/R!

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                "You see these two, Shizune?" enquired Tsunade, throwing two folders onto the table and gave a large grin, "Two boys...actually _tied_ for being number one rookies this year."

                "Tied?" Shizune asked curiously, taking a look at the picture of Hoshi and Kometto from the folders, "This is the first. But...Tsunade...these boys..."

                "Compare them to the other number one rookies many years before them, yes, their special abilities from their linage are a bit low," Tsunade said, scratching her head in thoughts.

                Shizune sweat-dropped, "Kometto-kun had a spy-technique ability that's pretty common to some people but Hoshi-kun..."

                "No abilities at all, ne?"

                "None."

                "Hoshi, surprisingly, is equally skilled with Kometto without a problem. He can charm his way through almost anything but the boy never shows it. And Kometto doesn't brag about himself either."

                 "The file said here that Hoshi works best when partnered with Andou Ohito."

                "I know," Tsunade's face scrunched in annoyances, "Now that kid reminded me too MUCH of those two, all three had the biggest mouth ever and I don't even know which is worse than the other."

                Shizune smiled knowingly, "Thinking of Jiraiya and Naruto?"

                "Don't remind me..."

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                "This...is...LAME!! Where in the HELL is that Kakashi?!" Ohito shouted to himself in irritation, all the students waiting for practically more than a few hours for their missing teacher as Iruka sat quietly in front of the class. Hearing no answer, Ohito turned to look at his thinking friend, "Hoshi?"

                Hoshi blinked, raising his eyes to his, "I just remembered something…Kurenai-obasan had mention before that Kakashi-sensei is always late for every occasions."

                The corner of Ohito's eyes twitches, "Every single one…?"

                "Yep."

                "How late can he ever get?"

                "His record so far…by not appearing at all."

                "YOU'RE SERIOUS?!" Ohito shouted in surprised, before shutting his mouth when the door suddenly open, emerging to the class is the waving Kakashi.

                He smiled cheerfully, "Konnichiwa!"

                "YOU'RE LATE!!" Both Iruka and Ohito shouted in fury at the same time as they stood. Hoshi reached up and grabbed onto Ohito, pulling him back down to his seat.

                "Sorry, I got lost," Kakashi said, scratching behind his head sheepishly, walking to the front of the class.

                "All their waiting Senseis are probably very angry by now," Iruka noted, pointing to the Genins. "They had missed their break and still hadn't learned anything that was changed yet."

                Kakashi waved it away, "Then skip the introduction and tell them their group numbers, they'll learn about it somehow. It's obvious that it will be their room number as well where they will be meeting their Senseis anyways."

                "Right," Iruka muttered under his breath, holding up a long list and began loudly, looking to the anxious student. Ohito stared at him in excitement, sitting at the edge of his seat, waiting for his name to be called.

                "Team seven will be Andou Ohito…"

                _Finally!_ Ohito cried in his thoughts, emerald eyes widen for the names of his other teammates.

                "Hino Hoshi…"

                _HA!_ He grinned widely, looking over at the smiling Hoshi.

                "And Yagami Tenko."

                _EH?!_ Ohito thought, gazing at the lonely girl in the corner of the room with her snow leopard, _Her__?_

                "Interesting...Kakashi-sensei's own niece." Hoshi whispered to him during the presentation.

                Ohito blinked, "You know her?"

                "Not exactly, just overhearing what Kurenai-obasan told to the other Senseis when I'm with her," Hoshi replied, "I had heard Tenko-chan been living with Kakashi-sensei just two years ago…she had a very sad life."

                Ohito rolled his eyes to the heaven, "Doesn't everybody? From those many earrings she has on with a _tattoo_ on her back, if I remembered seeing it, she appears to be a wild girl."

                "She's far from it actually," Hoshi whispered, looking up to see everyone leaving as he stood, "Seems like it's over; let us go the Class Seven were our Senseis would be. I think we'll be having two Senseis."

                "I wonder who they might be," Ohito said excitedly, both walking out the classroom, "Hopefully, they'll the cool ones!"

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                "Cool ones…I doubt it," Kakashi said, watching the boys go with a sigh, "I'm sorry to say but that boy, Ohito, is a complete opposite than his uncle."

                "No one would say they'll be alike in personalities, though Ohito does look like a younger version of him," Iruka replied, slumping onto his chair, "He acts more like…"

                "Naruto? But with a big mouth worse than him that'll make Jiraiya proud," Kakashi answered, shaking his head, "This will be very interesting…"

                "Is that why you placed him under Naruto and Sakura?"

                "Maybe…"

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                "Room seven, found it!" Ohito exclaimed, pointing to the closed room eagerly, "That wasn't so hard!"

                Hoshi nodded, before facing around and smiled in greeting at the person behind him, "It's great having you in our team, Tenko-chan."

                "Eh?" Ohito looked over his shoulder and stared _upwards_ at the girl, _I didn't even notice she was right behind us…Damn! When was she ever this tall?_

                "Same here, Hoshi-kun," Tenko said in return, looking over at Ohito with silent honey-gold eyes in acknowledgment, flickering her silver hair that was tied in a high ponytail over her shoulders, petting the small mammal on her shoulder.

                "If anyone said that Tenko and Kometto are related cause of their boring attitude, then I'll fully believe them." Ohito mumbled to himself, turning around towards the door.

                The snow leopard gave a small growl, looking over at Tenko as their eyes met, "Is that what he said?" Tenko asked her, adjusting the Leaf protector that was around her neck, "Ignore him, Naryu."

                Hoshi looked over at them, _Figures…Tenko-chan can communicate with her pet. Very different than Kakashi-sensei…_

                "Are you two going to just stand there or come inside?" Ohito asked them impatiently, practically sliding the door open to the side. Suddenly, a puff of smoke with the smell of chalk from an eraser was smacked onto his face as he gave a loud yelp, falling onto the ground in pure shock.

                "Ohito!" Hoshi called, helping him stood until he was on his feet. Ohito began wiping the powdery chalk from his face, only to look up at the laughing blond Sensei.

                "HA-HA-HA!" Naruto laughed, pointing at the angry Ohito, "They were even caught by that same old trick! Did you see that, Sakura-chan? And they called themselves Genin!"

                "Naruto," Sakura murmured in annoyances, "That wasn't very nice. Playing on your own pupils."

                "That's what they get for being late!"

                "_They_ would be our Senseis?" Ohito asked to Hoshi bitterly, finish wiping his face, "I can't believe this!"

                "Are you alright?" The question was asked from Sakura as Ohito looked up to only stare at the most beautiful angel he'd ever seen. Naruto raised an eyebrow, looking down at the blushing boy with a frown.

                "I-I'm f-f-fine…"

                Naruto snorted, "Since you had took your time coming here, had you three learn that we'll be joining with another team?"

                Hoshi gave him a kind bow, "We did not come late on purpose, Sensei."

                "Don't tell me…" He trailed off; giving a knowing look, "Let me guess, Kakashi was the one who came late because he had lost on his way on a road of life."

                "He's only late, Sensei," Tenko suddenly spoke in a defensive tone.

                "We'll talk later," Sakura said with a smile, leading them out the door, "Right now, we should be meeting with the other team."

                Hoshi frowned, "I remember you'd mention about it earlier, why is that?"

                "To improve for our upcoming future," Naruto answered, his voice raised very highly that matches poorly of Tsunade, "Even if we're a team but they'll still be our rivals."

                "Who will they be?"

                "In here," Sakura answered, slowly sliding the door open from another room as the three Genins, with an exception for Ohito, waited patiently to see their faces.

                It was Ohito's first cry that rang through their ears once the door fully open, **_"YOU?! WHY IN THE HELL COULD IT BE YOU?!"_**

                Kometto looked at him dully, "Should I be asking the same question, Ohito?"

                "Not the best of term, are they?" Naruto asked in a mere whisper to the sweat-dropping Hoshi.

                "It's Ohito that doesn't get along with him," Hoshi replied with a heavy sigh, "Kometto never really done anything wrong to him."

                "This may prove to be very interesting, yet, difficult at the same time," Ikazuchi said to Sakura, watching the two continuing fighting, "Do you think Iruka and Kakashi went a little too far teaming them up?"

                "This is **_UNBELIEVEABLE_**?!" Ohito hollowed, throwing his arms into the air.

                Kometto shrugged, "I believe this to be an absurd idea as well."

                "I think you meant as a rival team, Ikazuchi-kun," Sakura corrected him, looking up curiously when the fourth quiet Sensei beside Ikazuchi suddenly moved from his spot.

                "You, boy," Kama spoken severely, pointing to Ohito's face with narrowed dark brown eyes, "I want you quiet until I allow you to talk or you could leave."

                Ohito gave him a fierce look, crossing his arms stubbornly.

                "Now, shall we begin with our introduction?" Ikazuchi asked to the group with a smile, "Just give us your names, relatives, goals, any of that so we could know each other better. Kama! You can start first!"

                Kama looks over at him.

                "Go on!"

                "Ankokuno Kama," He said in a low scowl, "Any relatives are none of your concern. Goals…it's not like any of you would even care or remembers."

                Naruto's eyebrow twitches, whispering over to Sakura, "Remind you of Kakashi in the past?"

                She nodded, "Yeah…"

                "I guess I'm next, Sabakino Ikazuchi is my name," Ikazuchi said with a nod, "The Special Jounin for the Second Test in the Chuunin Exam is my step-sister and goals? Hmmm…it's undecided, I suppose. Next!"

                "Sakura…Haruno Sakura," Sakura introduced herself as she closes her eyes, "The only relatives I have would be my parents and my goals…my future…I don't have one anymore."

                Ohito gave a sad frown, deeply worried for his female Sensei while looking curiously at the golden ring around her finger.

                "Uzumaki Naruto!" He began with a wide grin on his lips, a hand on Sakura's shoulder, "Relatives…don't have one. But my Goals is to become the Hokage of the Leaf where everyone will acknowledge me and if anyone even _thinks_ of becoming one right now, you'll answer to me. Got that!"

                _…Silences…_

                "Fairano Kometto…you all know my uncle, Kamizuki Izumo-"

                Naruto muttered, "Very well, actually…"

                "-and I don't like expressing my goals to any of you."

                "Okami Junpaku," A shy girl said right after, looking up at them with nervous light-brown eyes, unable to continue.

                "That's enough, Junpaku-chan," Ikazuchi smiled, noticing how uncomfortable she is while nudging at the boy beside her.

                "Oh, sorry, Dorino Taitan, glad to meet you," A tall boy said, running his hand through his bright yellow and orange hair, looking at them all curiously with blue eyes, "Who's next?"

                Ikazuchi sighed, "What happen to the rest of it, Taitan?"

                "It's getting kind of boring and I want to get this over with."

                "Yagami Tenko and this here is Naryu," Tenko said, patting the snow leopard's head on her shoulder, "Kakashi-ojisan is the only relative I had-"

                "_Excuse me?!_" Naruto interrupted, eyes widen in surprised as his jaws dropped.

                "-and my goal…is to become strong as my mother." She finished silently.

                "Hino Hoshi…youngest nephew of Kurenai-obasan and wishes to be a great Sensei as her."

                "Kurenai?" Sakura asked in amazement as he nodded proudly.

                "I guess I'll be the last one, if I can talk now," Ohito grumbles, seeing Kama nodded, "Andou Ohito! My dream is to become the greatest ninja of all-"

                **_SMACK!!_**

                "ITAI!" Ohito cried out in pain, glaring at Naruto, who had interrupted him with a slap upside in his head. "WHAT IS THAT FOR?!"

                "What did I tell you about becoming a Hokage?"

                "Who the hell wants too?!"

                Naruto forcefully shoved his face to the ground in anger, "Finish it kid…any interesting relatives that we might know of?"

                Ohito stopped struggling from the ground as all the Genins watches him in dead silences.

                "Naruto, let him go," Sakura ordered with a frown, helping the boy stood while putting a hand on his shoulders, "Ohito-kun…you don't have to-"

                "My uncle was a very proud ninja," Ohito whispered, his face totally shadowed. "The best out of all the Leaf…that's what **I** believe."

                "Well? Go ahead, Ohito," Naruto said with annoyance. "What's his name? I'll like to talk to this _proud_ ninja."

                "Hayate…Gekkou Hayate…"

                All the Senseis froze, staring down at the boy in disbelief. Naruto's face softens sadly while reaching out and placed a hand on his head. Ohito could only look up in confusion.

                Naruto gave a grin, "Be proud, Ohito, that's what makes you the best. And I'm saying this to all five of you Genins. To be proud is what makes you the best ninja."

                A smile grows on Ohito's lips as Sakura looked at Naruto warmly with a smile. Kama only stares out the window in boredom, but nodded in agreement. _As everyone would say...typical Naruto._

                "Well! Since it's already late," Ikazuchi said, bending a little to look at them, "Naruto and I had agreed that doing missions would be nothing for you. We'll start with his _special_ training by tomorrow."

                "That's right!" Naruto continued with a mischievous smirk, "I want you all not to eat anything for tomorrow, in case you might throw up your food during training. Come to the training ground in the forest where the Memorial is held by dawn. All of you got that?"

                As the six Genins nodded, Sakura took the time to judge their expressions and held back her laugher. Ohito raised his hand, "How about not? It's too early."

                "And why is that?"

                "You _really_ don't want to see me in the morning..."

                "Like I give a damn! Now leave, go rest or do whatever you want," Naruto concluded, shooing them out of the class, giving a small wave once they disappeared down the hallway. "Now I'll be able to have the chance to know what it feels like to eat in front of the hungry Genins."

                 "Not going to happen, Naruto."

                "Eh? Why not, Sakura-chan?"

                "From that look you just gave them, they don't trust you at all," Sakura replied with a giggle as Naruto's eyes widen. "Tenko-chan probably knows, surprising enough to be Kakashi's niece and the others are smarter than they appears to be."

                Ikazuchi chuckled, "You gave it all away so easily."

                "A very well done, Naruto," Kama scowled from behind him.

                "AWWW! Come on you guys! I just couldn't resist! It's not MY fault, you know! Maybe one or two of them didn't know about it!"

                Sakura lowered her gaze, "Yes...maybe one doesn't."

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obasan: Aunt

ojisan: Uncle

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	4. The Training

A Path to a Shinobi's Ambition

Chapter 04: The Training Written by: Koizumi Tsukiyo 

A/N: Again, sorry for the long delay. ^-^*...I was busy drawing the characters (Not really a good artist, but I was bored!) And thanxs to Medjke, I was able to upload it in the site! Not only is my art included, but most of the upcoming characters [Spoiler for some, most likely], requested by their own owners, are in the site. So far, I only had Team Seven and Eight drawn, more coming soon I hope, whenever I had the mood. Feel free to draw anything you like that's related to this story, I'll be SO happy!

medjke. tripod. com/ medjkescharacterdictionary/ [Just put the space together and the site would pop up. ^-^]

Enjoy the site! It's really good!

**_Oh yeah, before I forgot, I must apologize to the creator of Yagami Tenko. Because I accidentally got her name BACKWARDS so I went back and changed everything. REMEMBER! Her name is now TENKO! Not Yagami, that's her surname! Arigatou! Read and Review!_**

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                "I see you're all here on time," Naruto said to the Genins, a large smile on his fox-like face just as the sun rises beautifully over the horizon, "Any questions before we could start?"

                "One," Taitan spoke up, his arm raised, "What's with the _'no eating' policy for today?"_

                "Ah! So you'd done what I told you, ne?"

                "Actually, I had a very good breakfast," Taitan replied with a toothy smile, "And quite full."

                Both Ikazuchi and Sakura laughed as Naruto grabbed Taitan by the shoulders and shook the poor boy roughly while hollering in his face, "WHY DID YOU NOT LISTEN TO ME?! I'M THE SENSEI HERE!!"

                "But you're not really _our_ Sensei," Kometto spoke up, watching Taitan going cross-eye under Naruto's grip.

                "Please, Naruto-sensei," Junpaku begged from behind Kometto, giving a worried look once Taitan was released.

                "So who's the smart one to actually listen to me?" Naruto enquired, clearly pissed off, hands on his hips.

                No one raised their hands but a soft cough interrupted the silences before Naruto's booming voice was heard next.

                "ARG?! THAT'S IT! NONE OF YOU WILL HAVE LUNCH RIGHT AFTER THE TRAINING!!"

                "Ummm…that's not fair at all!" Ohito declared in his sickly state, revealing himself to be the one who had cough earlier, standing in front of the group with dark bags under his tried emerald eyes while speaking in a weak slow tone, "I don't know who would want to listen after that _look_ you'd gave us yesterday. Otherwise, that person is not even normal."

                Naruto raised an eyebrow at the coughing boy, "Not feeling well?"

                "You look deathly pale," Taitan spoken after recovering from the rough shaking, "You okay?"

                "Better then I can ever be, to tell you the truth."

                "…for real? It looks like you'll be dropping dead any minute now."

                "Normal temperature and everything," Sakura whispered, a hand on Ohito's blushing cheeks, "Should we cancel the training today?"

                "I don't think you should be worried about him that much, Sakura-sensei," Hoshi replied with a grin, explaining for his friend, "Every time Ohito forced himself to wake up in the morning, he'll be like that for the whole day. It's normal for him actually and kinda runs in the family."

                Hearing a low snicker, Ohito managed to glare as hard as he could with weary eyes at Kometto.

                Naruto nodded in understanding, _If I remember right, Hayata-san acted the same too except he's like that permanently, sick or not.  Odd family..._

                "That explains everything then," Ikazuchi said with a smile, "Go on and start the introduction of their training, Sakura."

                "If you're sure, Ohito-kun," Sakura said worriedly, lowering her hand onto his shoulder as Ohito's blushed deepen with a stiff nod, "Alright, to make things clear up a bit, I'll be explaining the purpose of your training until the end. But to let you know, I'm going to be your judge for today and see how well you can do."

                "Taitan," Ikazuchi called him in a firm tone, "Pay attention."

                Taitan gave a crooked smile, "Sorry…got a little distracted."

                "Here are three bells," Sakura began, holding them up by the strings in front of them, "Naruto, Ikazuchi-kun, and Kama-kun would each hold them where you will have to take by either force or trickery. Whichever you choose but the teams that holds the most bells win."

                "Sakura-sensei," Junpaku gently interrupted shyly, "What are the rules for this?"

                "There are no rules, you can use whatever you want from either weapons or Jutsu, it doesn't matter," Sakura replied, giving Kama a look while passing the bells, "As for the Jounins here, they are not allow to attack but to defend. And using their weapons is out of the question while simple defensive Jutsus are okay."

                Kama silently faced her.

                "Yes, Kama-kun, it means you're leaving that cleaver with me. Just seeing that, I doubt any of them will want to go near you."

                "Fine," He reprimanded, slowly taking the cleaver from behind his back and implanted it deep into the earth beside him.

                "Since I'll be timing you, you'll have to stop at once when hearing the bell. And I'm going to start now from the press of this button," Sakura finished, giving an encouraging smile while holding out the alarm, "Ready…"

                Ikazuchi sighed, "Taitan…"

                Taitan blinked, moving his gaze from the forest to the others, who are all in a ready stance, "Oh? We're starting already?"

                "Go!" Sakura shouted as the clock began ticking, watching in satisfaction when the kids jumped away in great speed, hiding themselves into the forest. The three Jounins gave each other nods as they too, disappeared from view, leaving Sakura behind while she looked up towards the sky, "Not bad at all…"

=:*:=

                "This is getting kind of boring," Naruto said insipidly to himself in the middle of the deserted clearing, hands behind his head, "One of them got to be stubborn enough and confronted me by now. What's the use of waiting?"

                With a loud cough, three figures of Ohito suddenly charged in circles around Naruto, their sword raised while attacking simultaneously. They each gave a slash with their sword from different directions but Naruto immediately crouched to the ground and swung his leg, knocking over the three as the clones disappeared while Ohito drops to the ground with a loud yelp.

                Before Naruto could give out a single complaint, he moved to the side when a number of long metal needles flew past him, missing his ear by a mere inch. With a blink, he looked ahead to see Hoshi, many needles between his fingers like claws as he charges, sending more needles towards him. Just when Naruto dodged them as he leap high in the air, his azure eyes suddenly widen from the sound of more coughing and look behind him to see Ohito, who gave a hard strike with his sword.

                Grabbing his hand to stop the attack, he gave a twist through the side as the bell jingles from his pants. Hoshi gave a triumph smile once grabbing the bell with his two fingers when he jumps from underneath his teacher, trying to tug them free.

                But unfortunately, Naruto surprised the boys when he snake one hand around Ohito's arm to only gripped onto his collar while grabbing Hoshi in the same position roughly with the other, releasing the bell from the boy's fingers. With an expert and powerful _whoosh_, he had sent the two boys flying through the air just as he landed to the ground, smirking in satisfaction at their surprised cry while watching them falling into the bushes some distances away.

                "They're better than I can give them credit for, that's the teamwork Sakura-chan wanted! Maybe I shouldn't loosen up so much…they almost got the bell," Naruto grinned, swinging the bell around his finger before he frowned, "That Ohito...where could he'd learn such an advance Jutsu? Though it's completely weak but the kid got far enough to be able to hold his chakra well."

=:*:=

                "I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!" Ohito bellowed with a pause to cough, finally got himself untangled from the thick bushes, "He just _flung_ us aside like we were nothing!"

                "It only proves that he's pretty strong," Hoshi said, dusting his clothes while looking in the distance for Naruto, "Very strong…we're like miles apart."

                "But you almost _had_ the bell!" Ohito cried, covering his mouth from the upcoming cough. But instead of a cough, Ohito goes dot-eyed when a loud rumble echoes through their ears from a certain hungry stomach that's demanding for food.

                Hoshi held back a smirk, "You didn't eat anything this morning, did you?"

                "…"

                "And weren't you the one who said the person that listened to Naruto-sensei's orders yesterday is definitely not normal?"

                 "…Shut up, Hoshi." Another loud rumble. "You don't happen to carry any snacks, do you?"

                "Sorry."

=:*:=

                "So what are we suppose to do again?" Taitan asked sheepishly to Kometto, scratching behind his head with a nervous laugh where they both are hiding in the trees near the lake.

                Kometto looked at him in annoyances, "Didn't you listen to what Sakura-sensei was saying?"

                "No…it was kind of long and I got sidetracked."

                "The bells," Kometto mumbles, "The others except Sakura-sensei had at least one bell. If we get the most bells, then we'll automatically win."

                 "What would happen if we win? Or lose?"

                "No clue, Sakura-sensei didn't say."

                "I see," Taitan nodded in understanding, before spotting Kama standing alone near the shores, "Hey! There's Kama-sensei!"

                "Let's go," Kometto muttered, jumping down for another hiding spot.

                "But..." he trailed off, giving a small shrug while following after him, _He's near the shores…it's not going to be good at all if the rumor of him controlling Water Jutsus is true._

=:*:=

                "Are you sure it's alright for me to join you, Tenko?" Junpaku asked bashfully to the silent girl.

                Tenko nodded, never moving her attention away from behind the tree where they both are hiding, "You can do whatever you want but I'm telling you, if you're the one that got the bell then I'll have no other choice but to get it from you."

                "I know, we _are_ in different teams," Junpaku replied, hearing Naryu, Tenko's snow leopard, hissing in agreement. "But I appreciate it."

                Hearing a twig snap from the tree near Tenko, both girls quickly backed away, kunai ready in their hands.

                "Eh? Tenko-chan? Junpaku-chan?" Hoshi called curiously, walking around from the tree, "I didn't even know you guys were hiding here."

                "We could have attack you," Ohito coughs, rubbing his eyes, "Lucky, ne?"

                Tenko sighed, giving them a quiet look, "You two didn't get a chance stealing the bells, ne?"

                "....No, we failed. Are you alright, Junpaku-chan?"

                Tenko blinked, looking at the silent girl in confusion, who stood there squinting her eyes in concentration, "Junpaku?"

                "It's...very difficult for me but..." Junpaku trails off as her eyes widen in realization, "Tenko! They're-"

=:*:=

                _They're here_, Kama thought, eyeing in every corner when hearing nothing but silences of the small waves that fills the air. Kama looked around and, a split second later, dived away when many kunais came flying and rooted themselves onto the ground, exactly where he had stood seconds before. Facing around, Kama immediately blocked a kick easily from Kometto, who had jumped in from the side.

                His hands still held onto the boy's leg, Kama hold him out in arm-length and glare down at the struggling boy. Predicting the next move, the man dropped him before a shuriken could connect to his face while watching him doing a flip and jumped out of his reach, standing in a stance to perform a Jutsu. Already figuring out the Jutsu, he felt a sudden heavy weight on his back and looked at the corner of his eyes, seeing a grinning Taitan.

                "Surprised?" Taitan asked him, wrapping his arms around his neck, blue eyes widen in concentration, _Ninpou__! Senei Jashuu!_

                Many snakes started to appear from his sleeves as they wrapped around Kama quickly, tying him from neck to knees as tightly as possible and secure it by biting onto Taitan's arms. Sweat in his face, Taitan turned to glare at Kometto, "How much longer do you need?!"

                _"Ninpou!__ Shintenshin no Jutsu!"_ Kometto exclaimed, black eyes rolled behind his head as his empty body fell to the ground. Kama gave a smirk, giving a simple bow low enough for the attack to hit Taitan instead. No other way to move, Taitan cried out, hoping to stop Kometto from continuing the jutsu but was too late when the dark boy had controlled his mind while losing his concentration as the snakes vanish back into his sleeves.

                "Damn!" Kometto cursed from inside Taitan's body and immediately shouted a cancel, _"Kai!"_

                He releases himself quickly when Kama flung Taitan into the waters. Just as Kometto was back to his original body, Kama had already grabbed him and dropping him with a loud splash beside the waking Taitan in the lake.

                "Out of the water! Hurry!" Taitan shouted but was too late when both boys froze, looking up at the frowning Kama who stood tall above the water, with wide eyes.

                "_Suirou no Jutsu_," Kama said calmly, raising his right arm as the water began rising, forming a large bubble around the two boys and trapped them within it, no way to either move or escape.

                Kometto gritted his teeth, "How long are you going to keep us here?"

                "Until the time ends for your failure of this training."

                _We had failed from the beginning anyway, Taitan thought dully to himself, rubbing his itching biting wounds on his arms, looking around his prison interestedly, _This is the kind of Jutsu I'll like to learn…I wonder if he'll ever teach this to us…__

=:*:=

                Ohito charged, grabbing Junpaku by the throat gently and pinned her against the tree before she could finish her warning. Tenko stared at them in alert, turning to the smiling Hoshi with a silent question. He nodded, "We're just checking to see if she has any bells. You never know, Tenko-chan."

                Junpaku tries to claw Ohito's hand away from her throat, giving a begging look at Naryu, who seem to understand her situation. With a growl, the snow leopard had leaped and bit deeply on Ohito's hand as he jumps away with a loud yelp.

                "Naryu!" cried Tenko.

                "Tenko!" Junpaku shouted, light-brown eyes glittered in shyness anger, "Get away quickly! It's not really them! It's an illusion!"

                Tenko cursed, lowering herself with both hands on the ground and gave a high kick at Ohito's jaws, sending the boy flying while she stood in front of Junpaku. Though she's starting to have doubts when Ohito picked himself up with a cough, "Junpaku...are you sure? I thought you said they were only an illusion."

                "An illusion, yes, but not like clones," Junpaku replied with a frown, "Both bodies are real...but from what I can tell, they're not them."

                "What?" Tenko paused, looking over at the hissing Naryu, "Ikazuchi-sensei?"

                "Very good, Junpaku-chan," _Hoshi_ said proudly with a clap before in a puff of smoke, the two boys disappeared in replace of a smiling mention sensei. "Your ability by seeing through the flaws of certain illusions can be really handy."

                Tenko eyed the dancing bell around his wrist, "Got me fooled."

                "Of course," Ikazuchi said with a smirk, flicking the bell, "Why don't you get this from me? You seem almost anxious."

                As Tenko lifts one of her legs to run at the Sensei, something snapped underneath and she later find herself pulled upwards upside down by the rope that had wrapped around her ankle, dangling in the air.

                "Tenko!" Junpaku cried worriedly as Naryu stared after her master.

                "Ikazuchi-sensei! What's the meaning of this?" Tenko shouted in a sing-song voice that sent shivers down his spine.

                Junpaku gave a crook smile, _She's mad...too obvious by that scary tone of hers._

                "Better than attacking, Naruto had given me some advice for these tricks, knowing I'll be the one who will go against you girls," Ikazuchi explained with a smile, "I wonder if he had ever been caught in this kind of trap. It's really effective."

                Junpaku twirled a kunai around her finger and releases it, cutting the rope as Tenko lands on her feet. Before any attacks were made, both girls began to scream when the ground underneath them suddenly gave away while they both fall unexpectedly.

                "Another effective trick, Naruto is definitely good," Ikazuchi commented, looking down at the dirt-covered girls.

                "IKAZUCHI-SENSEI!!" They chores, only to hear more screams when they begin dropping farther into the earth.

                Ikazuchi sat down at the edge of the pit, petting the amusing Naryu beside him, "Take your time, girls. The more you struggle, the deeper you'll go." He stopped, checking himself before giving a sheepish grin, "Never mind, it had taken me a long time to dig this that I went a little overboard. So correction: if you stood up to bring all your weight to your legs, you'll immediately drop. Simple as that."

                More screaming and loud crashing was soon heard afterward as he laughs, looking up with a frown though the humor still shone in his eyes when hearing the loud ring, indicating the end of training. "Already? But I haven't even started!"

                Naryu, enjoying the petting he gave her, silently stare at the bell as she slowly inches her way and open her mouth to catch it.

                "Don't even think about it, Naryu," Ikazuchi said knowingly, looking down the pit to check and sweat-drops when seeing nothing but blackness, "Have they really gone _that_ far?"

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Sensei Jashuu: Shadow Snake Hand

Shintenshin no Jutsu: Mind Body Switch Skill

Suirou no Jutsu: Water Prison Skill

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	5. Andou Ohito's Story

**A Wish of Pain and Goals**

_Side Story of Andou Ohito_

**Written by Koizumi Tsukiyo**

A/N: I'll be writing side-stories for each of the characters you'll be seeing consider you might know them a little more of their past before they became Genins. This may be a bit boring and the plot is quite fast, sorry about that. Read/Review!

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                _I never know how it ever feels like to lose someone you had admired, especially if it comes from your own family. Though many had believed that I had experience the pain before when my parents were gone, even if they hadn't died honorably on duty. Their names aren't even craved on the stone itself! Their death hadn't taught me the feeling of that specific pain just yet; consider I'd never know them at all._

_                Sometimes, I wanted to comfort the ones who learned that experience but I just...can't. Because I never felt the pain before and don't even know the rightful way to cheer them up. All I can ever do is watch them...with their faces so pale and weak, even weaker when I force myself awake to look sick, tears of sorrow down their cheeks._

_                And all I do is sit there, completely clueless, wondering how that types of pain feels like. Does it hurt me mentally? Or does it hurt straight from the heart? I asked myself that many times but I never get a satisfying answer. I don't know...and I had felt so useless because of it...so I make a wish._

_                But a wish...I fully regret..._

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                _"Henge no Jutsu!"_

                **_PUTFF!!_**

                "So? So? Do I look like you, Hoshi?"

                "I don't even know why you bother learning this ahead of others, Ohito," six-years-old Hoshi grumbled, the corner of his eyes twitches when seeing a mixed face of an unknown that was _suppose to look like him, "You're not even close, it doesn't look like anyone but a scary mask."_

                Ohito transformed back, a glare was seen through the smoke around him as it cleared, "I'm trying my best here!"

                "We had just learned this jutsu today, you know. A little too anxious, are you?"

                "I have to learn it!" Ohito all but whined, crossing his arms stubbornly, "Hayata-ojisan promised he'll teach me a really COOL Jutsu if I know all of my basic ones."

                "Isn't that a little harsh? We only learn one jutsu so far from Iruka-sensei and that's the _Henge__ no Jutsu. No one had fully accomplished that Jutsu yet."_

                Ohito gave him a sour look.

                "What...?"

                "No one, eh? I'll like to see you _try Hoshi! Oh mighty genius one!"_

                Hoshi sweat-dropped at the phrase, "What are you talking about? I can't do it yet."

                "That's because you haven't TIRED, dammit! Do it now and let me see!"

                "Eh?"

                "Don't 'eh' me, Hoshi! Show me!"

                "Okay okay," Hoshi said in defeat, backing away from the impatient boy and closed his eyes in concentration, feeling his chakra flowing in his veins, _"Henge no Jutsu!"_

                **_PUTFF!!_**

                Ohito's jaws dropped, completely lost for words when the cloud cleared, seeing his exact double right in front of him. Knowing the look, Hoshi immediately transformed back to himself, "Sorry..."

                "No wonder you're voted to be the best of the class...are you damn **_sure_ this is your first try? We just learn this today and ALREADY YOU'RE PERFECT WITH IT! DAMN YOU!!! BAKA!!"**

                "Baka?! It's not my fault! I just happen to listen closely on Iruka-sensei's instructions! You're the one that wanted to see it! I didn't offer!"

                "ARGG!!!"

=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=

                Sitting alone in the night of a small clearing, Ohito ignored the sounds of crickets around him as he wrote out his name on the ground from boredom. Emerald eyes narrowed, he runs a hand through his chestnut hair and gritted his teeth.

                "Why are you here, Ohito?" A weak voice asked behind him with a cough. Ohito quickly stood up and turns around, looking at his uncle with a wide smile, "What's wrong?"

                "Nothing, Hayate-ojisan! I knew you would come by here while on patrol," Ohito said with a small excited jump, "I just learn a new Jutsu today in class!"

                Hayate coughed, giving a weak smile, "Oh...? And that would be?"

                "_Henge__ no Jutsu, it's so cool!" He lied in a slightly bitter tone, "So when are you ever going to teach me your Jutsu? I wanna learn now!"_

                "_Mikazuki__ no Mai is an advance Jutsu, Ohito," Hayate said, patting him on the head, "It may be too difficult for you. Maybe until you're a little older? Why don't you go home and sleep? It's late already and you know what will happen if you force yourself awake tomorrow."_

                Ohito's smile quickly dropped, giving a stubborn frown, "I'm a grown man, Hayate-ojisan!"

                "You're six years old..."

                "Please! For your own favorite nephew in the whole world?" Ohito begged as his uncle laugh, "I want to learn it. I...want to be better at something," He trails off, looking away with downcast eyes, "Just _something_...even if we just learn a new Jutsu, I have a feeling more than half the class already knows it. My test scores are always bad...everyone looked down at me."

                Hayate frowned, "Everyone?"

                "Well, most of them," Ohito grinned, "Iruke-sensei help me a lot, but I know I'm already the worse one in the class. Hoshi is always there to support me, though I couldn't help but be so jealous of him. Please...Hayate-ojisan?"

                "Hmmm, I'm on duty though," Hayate said, trailing his tired eyes over to the memorial stone in front of them.

                "Oh...right, sorry..."

                "I suppose I could spare a moment to teach you," Hayate said with a cough, giving another laugh when seeing the boy dancing in excitement around him, "But let's go somewhere else; I don't feel respectful to train in front of the memorial over there."

                "Memorial?" Ohito blinked, looking over at the stone, "Iruka-sensei said he's going to tell us about this later. What is it?"

                "This, Ohito," Hayate paused, walking over to the stone as his nephew followed curiously from behind, "You see these names craved on them? These are proud shinobis that had died while on duty."

                "On duty? Like you're doing now?"

                "You can say that," he coughs, "Let's go to the clearing through the other side of this forest, which would be enough space for you to train."

                "Hayate-ojisan..."

                "Yes...?"

                Ohito looked around to confirm that they are alone as he walked over to his uncle and grabbed one of his hands, "The Chunnin Exam will start soon, like...tomorrow, ne?"

                He raised in eyebrow in confusion at his question and the affection, giving a small nod, "Yes, it is."

                "And you're part of it too, right?"

                "Right..."

                "Okaa-san and Otou-san's names aren't even here," He whispered, staring at the memorial blankly, "I don't want to see your name here either..."

                Hayate coughed, giving a small worried frown.

                "Of course, you'll be careful," The boy smiled, "You're the bestest ninja in the **whole world!"**

                He sweat-dropped, "Whole world? Isn't that a bit too much?"

                "Not to me!"

                "Then I promise you this, if I see some improvement from you once my duty is done. We'll meet here at exact same spot after the Chunnin exam and I'll give you a surprise."

                "Really?!"

                He cleared his throat, eyeing the sword behind him, "Yes...from me to you..."

                "Forget being the Hokage," Ohito shouted loudly, "Just being the best is enough for me! That will be my goal! I want to be the best exactly like Hayate-ojisan!"

                And Hayate can only smile.

=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=

                "Ne, Ohito," Hoshi called, looking over to his friend during class in the middle of their break, "I heard the two part of the Chunnin Exam are done. All the ones that had pass to go on to the third and final exam are going home today for a rest."

                Ohito's emerald orbs brighten, though he gave a weak cough, "Really?!"

                "If you even know what the Chunnin Exam is," Kometto's voice suddenly said behind him, causing Ohito to jump five feet in the air from surprise, "You should go home...it looks like you're getting ready for death to come."

                "Shut up, Kometto!" Ohito shouted with a cough, ignoring him while looking over at Hoshi, "Everyone's going home?

                "Yep, Kurenai-obasan will treat me dinner tonight," Hoshi said with a smile, "That means Hayate-sensei is coming home too, ne? What are you going to do?"

                He rubbed his eyes tiredly, "I'm going to train with him the jutsu he had taught me a week ago before the Exam."

                Kometto and Hoshi look at him as they both asked, "Which jutsu?"

                "A secret."

                "Did you actually get it?" Kometto smirked, "Whatever this mystery Jutsu is."

                Ohito glared at him the best he can, "Nope, but I'd train myself everyday when Hayate-ojisan isn't here to help me. I'm going to get it! I know I will! I had promised him!"

                "You use too much chakra every night, right? No wonder you couldn't do the _Henge__ no Jutsu today in class and the day before that," Hoshi said, lowering his voice down to a mere whisper for him to hear, "Also the fact that you force yourself awake this morning too, ne? You look sick."_

                He blushed in embarrassment with another cough, "Whatever, Hoshi."

                "I'm proud of you though, Ohito."

                He stopped, gazing up at him wearily in confusion, "Proud?"

                "For not giving up..."

                Ohito looked at his best friend; a smile slowly crawls on his lips.

                "Unlike what he's doing to the _Henge__ no Jutsu? You still need to learn that because you suck." Kometto said, giving a chuckle when seeing him sulking on his seat._

                "Since you're going to train tonight with Hayate-sensei, I believe, just don't be late for class tomorrow." Hoshi warned.

                Ohito gave his last cough, pumping his fist high in the air, "Right!"

=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=

                Waiting quite patiently for the night to come, Ohito immediately sprint out of his house and towards the clearing where he had trained with Hayate before. Once arriving, Ohito frowned, not seeing his uncle anywhere.

                "He'll be here," Ohito said to himself, walking back and forth, holding onto his excitement. No longer than five minutes, his patience already thinned as he grumbled, "Where the hell is he?"

                The soft wind only answered him, blowing his chestnut hair to the side while he looks around, expecting his uncle to pop out from the shadows. Growing frustrated, he picked up a long heavy stick and held it out in front of him, "Then I'll train...Hayate-ojisan will see how much I'd improve once he comes." He smiled at the thought, "Yeah...he'll be proud of me and I'll get my surprise!"

                As he trained to himself, minutes changed to hours and Hayate had still yet to come. But Ohito never let that bother him while sweat drips from his face. The stick was then dropped from his hands and he fell onto his knees, panting heavily in dizziness from using too much chakra.

                "Got...to keep...awake," Ohito muttered, his eyes closing and opening before it rolled behind his head as he fell to the ground. _Hayate-ojisan__...you promised..._

                "Ohito..."

                Ohito groaned, feeling his muscles stiffen from the hard training as he slowly peek an eye open. "Hayate-ojisan...?"

                "Let me help you up," The voice seems sad as strong arms grabbed him, slowly pulling him up. Ohito coughed, shaking his head and looked up wearily, blinking in shock when meeting Iruka's sad face. "Something...happened, Ohito."

                "Iruka-sensei?" Ohito asked, looking around in confusion, eyes widen when seeing the sun burning in the sky ahead, "It's morning already?"

                "Good thing I found you here," Iruka said with a sigh, a hand on his shoulders, "Do you need to go home and rest?"

                "Where's Hayate-ojisan?" Ohito asked, ignoring his question, "Eh? I thought he'll be here? Do you know, Iruka-sensei?"

                Helping the small boy to his feet, Iruka shook his head, pointing behind him. Ohito turned around in confusion and stared upwards, recognizing an ANBU shinobi in front of him. Though the mask covered the face, Ohito knows a woman was behind them as she speaks, "You're Andou Ohito, correct?"

                He nodded nervously, "Yes..."

                Without another word, she pulled out a sword...a _very_ familiar sword and presents it to him. "I believe he would want to give this to you."

                "He...?" Ohito asked, a tight knot was felt in his chest while grabbing the sword with trembling fingers, "This is...Hayate-ojisan's sword. Where is he?"

                "Hayate's body was found just this morning, Ohito," The lady continues, her tone lowered, "We believe he had been attacked just last night by an unknown enemy."

                "WHERE IS HE?!"

                "That's enough of it," Iruka spoke to the lady, standing beside Ohito, "He's only a boy..."

                "What do you mean his body?!" Ohito shouted, grabbing the lady's hand, "Ne? Ne? Where's Hayate-ojisan?!"

                Iruka's face was shadowed as the lady answered with some hesitation, "Hayate...is dead, Ohito..."

                And those were the last words he'd heard before engulfed into darkness, falling unconscious once again, his uncle's sword still held tight in his arms. _Hayate-ojisan__...doushite...?_

=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=

                _If I would have known to have my wish may involve Hayate-ojisan, then the thought of it should never had crossed my mind, now I know the answer to the question of my curiosity._

_                The pain had hurts me...so much...both mentally **and** in my heart._

_                Hayate-ojisan is still the bestest ninja I know and my ambition is to **be** the best. He had been my guardian ever since my parents were dead and living alone is never an easy one. Especially if you carry the blame of killing your own uncle with just a simple wish, I would have thought to never live again._

_                But the sword...the sword was his only gift to me. It was the sword that had brought me to live today. For it carried a promise I wish to keep all my life until I succeed. But this time, this wish would be something for **me** to do on my own. And this promise I tend to keep would only be for Hayate-ojisan..._

                "This is the first time. Ohito...actually _thinking_ to himself?" Kometto's spoke up as Ohito snapped out of his thoughts and glared at him.

                "Ohito-kun!" Sakura called, giving a wave in the distance as the boy blushed.

                "You're keeping us behind, Ohito," Naruto grumbles, crossing his arms while Kama scowled beside him. "Let's GO already!"

                _Yep, one of these days, I'm REALLY gonna kick his ass! Ohito thought, using the sword he's holding to help him stood as he walked over the group. "I'm coming, I'm coming!"_

                Taitan sighed; his ears perked when hearing sketching noises and looked over to Junpaku, who sat beside him. He leaned over and stared at the picture she's drawing in her precious book with a wide eyes, "Hey! How can you do that? You didn't even look at Ohito once and yet, you're drawing _exactly how he sat a moment ago!"_

                Junpaku gave a small squeak in surprise, quickly shutting the book close in embarrassment. "It's n-nothing, Taitan-kun."

                Taitan chuckled, shaking his head with a smile. Naryu waved her tail, climbing to sit on Tenko's shoulders as she spoke, "Can we go now?"

                Ikazuchi laughed, "Ohito is taking his time walking over here."

                "COME _ON_!" Naruto shouted impatiently.

                Hoshi looked over at the boy, who's still in this own little world as Ohito lifted his head and blinked at him. Hoshi smiled knowingly, "To be the best, ne, Ohito?"

                Ohito can only stare, lowering his gaze to the sword in his hand. A grin slowly sketch on his lips and place the sword behind him with the strap over his chest. He gave a thumbs-up to the smiling Hoshi, "Yeah!"

_                My promise...my wish...is my ambition. I will prove to Hayate-ojisan that I'll be the best...just like him...and always like him..._

_                **...Ne, Hayate-ojisan?...**_

=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=

Okaa-san: Mother

Otou-san: Father

Baka: Idiot/ You Moron

-ojisan: Uncle

doushite: Why

ne: Right?

=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=


	6. The Lesson

A Path to a Shinobi's Ambition

Chapter 05: The Lesson Written by: Koizumi Tsukiyo 

=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=

                "WHAT DID I DO?! RELEASE ME AT ONCE, DAMMIT!" Ohito shouted, kicking his legs from being tied tightly to the log as he coughs, "Sakura-sensei! You never told me this will happen if we lose!"

                "It shouldn't happen at all actually," Sakura replied, turning to face the grinning Naruto, "But he insisted."

                "WHY ME?! WHY NOT HOSHI THERE!"

                From the questioning look on Hoshi's face, Naruto gave a small shrug, "I just feel like it. Got a problem?"

                "WHAT DO YOU THINK?!"

                "Done something wrong, Ohito?" Kometto asked with a grin once he arrives with Taitan, both soaking wet.

                He glared weakly, "....At least you guys didn't get the bells."

                "So? Neither have you, I believe," Kometto flicks his wet bangs away from his dark black eyes, "Enjoying yourself?"

                "Shut up," Ohito coughed, banging his head against the wood, "Better than being a wet dog like you!"

                He gave a murderously glare, "What did you say?"

                "Who would have thought our number one rookie like you can't even get them when Hoshi had even _touched_ one and he was tied with you!"

                Twitch. "You're definitely getting onto my nerves now."

                "Stop it, you guys," Taitan said evenly, twisting the end of his shirt dry, "There's no time to be arguing now for all four of us had failed. No need to release your anger at each other."

                "We're only Genins after all compare to the Senseis," Hoshi said in agreement, looking around curiously, "I wonder if the girls had any luck?"

                Naruto snorted, looking to the side once seeing the girls standing behind Hoshi, both covered in muddy dirt from head to toe, "Nihihihi! Ikazuchi had done it!"

                "Consider those tricks are from you," Tenko snapped, sitting down heavily beside Kometto while dusting her clothing the best she can as Naryu curled herself beside her.

                "Seems like all of us had our worse times," Taitan said in amusement, watching Junpaku blowing dirt away from her sketchbook she had gotten out. "Ne, Sakura-sensei, do you think the training went a bit too short?"

                "If you said six hours of training is short, I could have put it a bit longer," Sakura said with a smile, seeing their shock faces. "It's noon now."

                "Really?!"

                "The training was fun, as expected," Ikazuchi said, appearing from beside her, ignoring Tenko and Junpaku's hard stare, "Though they still need a lot of work."

                Kama nodded in agreement, crossing his arms with his cleaver back in its position behind him, "Lots more..."

                "But you got to admit, these kids are quite good," Naruto said, munching on his snacks in front of the glaring Genins. "They're going to improve very quickly, you guys just watch."

                Ohito's eyes narrowed, ignoring his grumbling stomach, _And__ hopefully I'll be able to kick your ass...see how you feel._

                "They'll improve, that's what Shinobis do everyday in their daily life," Sakura said, sitting down in front of them, "Until you're finish, Naruto..."

                Naruto paused, giving a smirk as he gulps down the rest of his food slowly, deeply enjoying the taste. The Genins' face scrunched in annoyance as Ohito mentally cried, silently begging for some food with wide emerald eyes. "Done! Go right ahead, Sakura-chan!"

                "As I was watching each member in different groups and analyze them, I'm afraid they're lacking something very important."

                Kometto looked up, "Lacking? Of our skills or jutsu?"

                "Neither," Sakura replied with a sigh, standing back up and walks towards the memorial, a hand on the stone. Naruto frowned, looking away sadly at her action. "The exact thing...the same mistake as these shinobis on the stone had done."

                "I _dare_ you to repeat that!" Ohito shouted angrily, struggling on his bonds.

                Naruto knocked his head with his knuckles to silent him, "She's not disrespecting them, Ohito."

                "She is!" He coughed, indicating the female sensei, "Didn't you hear her?!"

                Hoshi ignored them, "We don't understand, Sakura-sensei..."

                "Estimation," Sakura responded, still not facing them as Ohito stopped in confusion, "That is what you're all lacking of."

                "Estimation?"

                "An example! Kometto, I'm going to use you since you seem to be the strongest in your team," Ikazuchi said with a smile, watching him standing up with a nod, "Imagine I'm your enemy but has threaten you with nothing but giving a killer aura. What will you do?"

                Kometto raised an eyebrow curiously.

                "O-kay, you never experience that before so...how about this? If you can get this bell from me, then I'm going to teach you any advance Jutsu you want. Use your weapons if you like."

                Immediately, Kometto charged, twirling a kunai around his finger to throw. But his eyes widen in shock once Ikazuchi somehow grabbed him by the neck and lifts him up gently in a blink of an eye, a long sword held closely to his throat. Everyone, minus Ohito, jumped from their seats in alarm while Ikazuchi turns and wink at Ohito, "You're not the only one with a sword."

                "This is what you all had been doing," Sakura instructed, watching them, "Not caring or even taking any time to judge your opponent, you just attack openly without thinking of any consequence."

                "Teamwork is part of the training and you all pasted that with flying colors," Ikazuchi added proudly, releasing Kometto while placing his sword back into the hidden scabbard within the side of his pants.

                "No wonder, I was about to ask where you had gotten that out from," Taitan muttered, facing Sakura, "So you're telling us to analyze our enemies before we attack if necessary?"

                She nodded, "That's right."

                "But what does that have to do with those people on the stone?" Ohito asked weakly in a bitter tone.

                "Same as you, they all attack the best they can. Not caring if their opponent are stronger or had the upper advantage. By doing so, I'll say their deaths are quite foolish to begin with."

                Naruto clamped a hand over Ohito's yelling mouth.

                "That's what makes them proud," Tenko said instead in a low tone. "Dieing honorably while on duty."

                "Yes, but only partly," Sakura whispered, running a hand on a peculiar name almost at the end of the list. Though struggling, Ohito stared curiously at the golden ring around her finger, "It's the reason why they fight is what makes them truly proud."

                Everyone stiffens, gazing at the stone in silences once the words drilled into their mind, even Ohito have to stop.

                "They don't care how strong their enemy are or not caring the death that would awaits them at the end," She continued, emerald eyes shadowed within her bangs, "But it's who they're fighting for is what's important to them. They fight to protect others or fight the best they can to not let their enemies harm anyone else."

                Kama's lids lowered, "_That_ is what make them a proud shinobi...each one of them that are in the stone."

                "That's why it must always be important to judge our opponent," Sakura said with a heavy sigh as she stood up, "At least we could know a bit of their weakness or, if lucky, be able to understand their attacks."

                "Safety is always first," Ikazuchi piped in. "This is the second half of your training and none of you pass...well, maybe Junpaku-chan is the only one that past the whole test actually."

                "W-What?" Junpaku blushed in embarrassment under the other's stare, "I didn't do anything."

                "From the beginning when Ikazuchi-kun used the _Kage__ Bunshin no Jutsu to transform into these two here," Sakura said, pointing at the confused Hoshi and Ohito, "You immediately used your abilities to see through the illusion if it's really them."_

                "So that's the technique he used," Junpaku mumbled, looking at the smiling Ikazuchi, "I knew the two illusions are both in real bodies, I just don't know how."

                "It's a bit too advance for you, I know," Ikazuchi said with a chuckle, patting her head, "But it's a really good start."

                Tenko frowned, "So the rest of us failed?"

                "Somewhat."

                "You all passed the first half of the test," Kama said unenthusiastically, "It's enough."

                "Sakura-sensei..." Ohito called silently in guilt, "I'm sorry..."

                "I fully understand, Ohito-kun, no need to apologize. Let's all just go home and rest, shall we?" Sakura said, urging everyone to leave, "We'll start our mission by tomorrow morning. Naruto! Release Ohito-kun now!"

                "Why?" He asked her smugly, only to have a fist connected to his head while he cried out in slight pain. With a glare, Sakura sighed in annoyances before cutting the rope herself as Ohito stretches once he was release. Naruto grumbles, holding onto his large bump painfully and follow the group home.

                "I hope the mission will be adventurous!" Taitan said with bright blue eyes, walking along with the others, "Don't you think, Ikazuchi-sensei?"

                He smiled, "I highly doubt it."

                "Eh...?"

                "Ikazuchi," Kama reprimanded, standing beside him, "The way you held your sword earlier, you should had hold it in a different angel to make it seem more...life-threatened."

                "No need, Kama," Ikazuchi said with a shrug, "I already found it too dangerous to Kometto already."

                Kometto looks at him from the corner of his eyes with a funny glare.

                "You're too soft on them, they'll learn more if it's harder."

                "But not too hard that'll surely scare them out of their minds, ne? I found my position quite good, thank you."

                Tenko stared at their backs, "Why are they competing over a simple matter?"

                "Those two always argued over who had the best teaching strategy than the other," Naruto replied in annoyance, "I found it confusing and a waste of time."

                "Ohito-kun?" Sakura called curiously, spotting their missing member still standing by the memorial, "Aren't you coming?"

                "...You guys go ahead, I want to train a bit more," he answered, covering his mouth with a weak cough.

                Hoshi smiled, "I'll stay behind with him, Sakura-sensei."

                "Be careful you two," Sakura said with nod, running up to the group, leaving the boys behind. Ohito coughs, facing around and stare at each of the names that were craved onto the stone.

                "You're not here to train, are you?" Hoshi asked knowingly, standing beside him, "What's wrong?"

                "Had you notice the way Sakura-sensei talk? She seems very serious and sad, as if she had experience it before."

                "You notice it as well?" Hoshi enquired in astonishment, lowering his gaze, "Yes, and the way she kept on feeling the name somewhere on this list, as if she long for that person to be alive."

                "And her ring....doesn't look like a normal ring she would wear for fun."

                "Ohito...it's gold and on her ring finger. It's an engagement ring," Hoshi declared with a frown, "Do you want to know what _really_ happen to her? I know part of the story, if you want to listen."

                "...Tell me."

                "One time when Kurenai-obasan was talking to the other Senseis, I overheard her saying that Sakura-sensei was engaged once."

                "What do you mean '_once_'?"

                "There had been a really big battle going on in the past that Kurenai-obasan was knocked unconscious at the very beginning, lucky to be alive. The battle had been too big that only involved a small number of people. And Sakura-sensei was one of them with Naruto-sensei."

                Ohito coughs, listening to the story intensely, giving him a wide interested look for him to continue.

                "It hasn't been a long time, only three years ago actually," Hoshi began, sitting down on the ground as Ohito followed.

                "I remember!" He coughs, "Kakashi-sensei was involved in the fight and it's the day when Iruka-sensei hidden us safely away from the battle."

                Hoshi nodded, "This fight had gone on with many Jounin-level shinobis against _one_ man."

                "One?!"

                "Yep, only one. And get this; even Hokage-sama had trouble fighting this guy!" Hoshi said, exhaling a sigh, "He was from the Uchida's clan, if I remember correctly. Itachi was his first name I think, I forgot. I don't know the rest but once the fight finally ended, everyone had failed and Itachi had vanished out of sight."

                "Just like that? Even under the Hokage-sama's nose?"

                "If a guy like him can slaughter his whole clan without a problem, then I'm sure he could. But the sad thing I heard about Sakura-sensei was that...yes, she survived and Naruto-sensei too, both really wounded."

                "And...?"

                "But her fiancé...and also her teammate as well-"

                "Fiancé?!" Ohito interrupted, giving a weak cough.

                "Why else would she have the ring?" Hoshi looked at him in slight irritation, "Anyway, her fiancé was presumed dead. Kurenai-obasan said he had died protecting her without a care that Itachi could be too strong."

                Ohito eyes widen in shock before lower them sadly, "I see..."

                "And for the past year after that, rumors said Sakura-sensei had snapped," Hoshi said in a low tone, "It had taken a full year for her closets friend to get her back to normal. Right now, she's just improving."

                "_Just improving? She seems fine to me!"_

                "You want to know the strangest thing that even I found it confusing?" Hoshi inquired, eyeing the particular name on the list of the memorial.

                "...And that is?"

                "Witness had said Sakura-sensei's fiancé is killed...but his body was never found..."

                "Eh?!" More coughing, "What do you mean never found?"

                "It was believe that Itachi had took his body to keep, it does make kind of sense though to why."

                Drowsy emerald eyes stared at him in disbelief, "Sense? I'm leaning more towards him being a sick bastard instead."

                "Ohito, look at this name here," Hoshi said, pointing at the stone, "This is the same name that Sakura-sensei was showing her emotion on and also her fiancé. Once you read his name, you'll immediately know why Itachi had stolen his corpus."

                Ohito followed his instructions, staring at the name as his wearily eyes widen and his jaws drop, "Umm...You're serious?! I never notice _this before!"_

                "That's because you never took the time to look at it."

                "Uchida Sasuke?!" Heavy coughing, "_UCHIDA?!_"

                "The last member of the Uchida clan, excluding the one who slaughtered it, is gone...If we don't count Itachi, then the famous advance blood of the Uchida is vanished forever, unable to bring any new members into the clan."

                "Uchida..." Ohito mumbled, before his coughing worsens. "It's the _UCHIDA we're talking here..."_

                Hoshi raises an eyebrow, wondering if he's _really_ sick or not, "Want to leave now? We're both tired and our first mission will start tomorrow."

                "Umm...Uchida," Ohito repeated once again as they stood and walked slowly away. "Oh! I got a question!"

                "Yes?"

                "You said Jounin-level shinobis are the only ones fighting Itachi, ne?"

                "Some Chunnins also, _if_ they got involved. But as I said earlier, not many are in the fight and Kurenai-obasan wasn't one of them either. She tried to help though and failed."

                "Umm...how is it possible for Sakura-sensei to be alive at the end when she's only a Chunnin? I know you said Sasuke-san had protected her but if Itachi is really strong as you said, shouldn't he be able to kill her quickly with a snap of his finger?"

                "Now that you mention it," Hoshi said, tapping his lips in thoughts, "You're right...I should ask Kurenai-obasan about this later."

                "And Hoshi..."

                "Hm?"

                "You want to know what **_I_** believe."

                "What you believe?"

                Ohito stops, looking back at the memorial with a grin, "...I don't believe a single thing you said about Sasuke-san....you know, being dead and all. I'm going to have a great honor seeing Sakura-sensei scratching that name off the stone!"

                "What?" Hoshi blinked a couple time, tilting his head to the side in question.

                "He's from the Uchida Clan, remember?" Ohito's grin widen, though was totally ruin by another cough, "No _way_ could he be killed that easily!"

                "I don't know, Ohito," Hoshi said, biting his bottom lip, "Itachi succeed in killing the whole clan when he's only around our age...or a bit older like about a year or two."

                _"WHAT?!_ You're **_shitting_ me!_"_**

"Why would I lie to you?"

                Ohito swore under his breath before crossing his arms stubbornly, "I don't care! I'm going to let my feelings get the best of me and it's saying that Sasuke-san is still alive! His body is not found, ne? Maybe he had escape?"

                "And never appear forever?"

                Ohito gave him a glare, stomping his foot as he walks away, "Screw this! I'm going home!"

                _You're not the only one, Ohito, Hoshi said in his thoughts, watching the angry boy disappearing out of sight while looking back at the stone. The breeze roughens, cooling him as it caresses his hair, ticking his light-brown eyes when it sway past them, __Kurenai-obasan had said there is no trace of Sasuke-san. If Itachi really had taken him, then he would at least leave a piece of his corpus behind as a sign. Kurenai-obasan had also said Sakura-sensei went back to normal mostly by herself, believing Sasuke-san is still alive._

                He sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets from his pants and begin to walk with a smile, _Though not a lot of people believe in it, but I'm glad you did...lots of people thought she's still completely insane but if you believe in it too, then there's still hope. As well as I, who had also believed her just like you..._

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Kage Bunshin no Jutsu: Shadow Clone Skill

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	7. The Mission

A Path to a Shinobi's Ambition

Chapter 06: The Mission Written by: Koizumi Tsukiyo 

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                "What kind of mission _IS_ this?!" Ohito complained loudly, taking a ransom piece of document from a **_large_** stack on the floor, scanning through it quickly before placing in its rightful pile on the table.

                "D-Class mission," Hoshi replied absentmindedly, shuffling neatly on his stack before continuing.

                Tenko looked up from her own table, "Fit for Genins like us."

                "The HELL it is!"

                "Such a whiner, are you?" Hagane Kotetsu, a young man in his late-twenties, asked with a grin, leaning back on his seat slothfully, "A mission is a mission, there's no point complaining about it. You three should be honored working for Hokage-sama. Not many could."

                Ohito glared at him, "You're telling me _these_ papers belongs to her?"

                "Yeah, my partner, Izumo, and I had been doing this for the past years," Kotetsu said in slight displeasure, "Hokage-sama can get a bit lazy when it comes to paperwork."

                All four looked up once the door opens as Izumo walk inside with a large pile of more papers in his arms, dumping them by the frowning Kotetsu. Taitan, Kometto, and Junpaku quickly followed behind, their arms full of more dreadful papers as they stack them carefully by each of the desk.

                The sound of Ohito's jaws dropping to the desk was pretty loud, "MORE?!"

                "You guys try carrying these halfway through the whole village," Taitan grumbled, stretching his aching arms, "These are the last stacks so far."

                "Last?" Tenko looked at them with a glint of hope in her eyes, "So we'll be finished after these?"

                Izumo chuckled, sitting down on Kotetsu's desk tiredly, "Wishful thinking, but no. Just give it another hour and more paperwork will arrive soon. We have to go and pick it up again."

                Ohito looked ready to faint, "How can you guys put up with this alone?"

                "Same question I asked myself everyday," Kotetsu snorted, looking up at the ceiling wearily, "At least someone will take over for us once the Chuunin Exam starts."

                Kometto perked up interestedly, "Chuunin Exam?"

                "It's an exam where Genins like you can become a Chuunin if pass," Izumo answered, looking at his nephew with his visible eye, "It comes twice each year and is held here in Leaf hidden village. Lots of Genin-level shinobis from many other hidden villages come here to take them."

                Tenko looked over at the worried Junpaku, "Do you think we could take it? Kakashi-ojisan had said he became a Chuunin when he's only six, so it must be easy."

                "_Top_ Genin-level shinobis from each village comes, Tenko," Izumo corrected himself. "Kakashi is quite different and a very highly skilled shinobi, even as a child. And no, it's never easy...from what we've seen, many people quit being a shinobi because it has been too much for them and there's been death involved as well during the exam."

                Junpaku's eyes widen, "Deaths?"

                "Kotetsu and I had failed it three times to be able to pass, if I remember correctly," Izumo said, lowering his gaze, "But our last member..."

                "I doubt you six will be enrolled, it depends on your Senseis actually," Kotetsu smirked, quickly changing the subject while gazing at them from the corner of his black eyes, "But knowing Naruto...maybe it's possible."

                "Izumo-ojisan," Kometto called to his uncle, "You and Kotetsu-san are also in charge at one part of the exam too, ne? Can you tell us about it?"

                Izumo laughed, "It'll spoil everything even if it changes every year, now that each of the leaders had partners so it's going to be even harder to pass."

                "That's it for today, you guys!" Naruto's voice cried from outside, banging the door open with impatient hands as many papers flew out from their neat piles at the rush of the open door. He paused, smiling sheepishly at the other's glare, "Gomen, gomen! My fault!"

                "We need to go quickly and report to Hokage-sama," Ikazuchi said, poking his head into the room, "Not disturbing you, are we, Kotetsu? Izumo?"

                Izumo gave a tired smile, "Not really..."

                "You Genins better go before Naruto will causes us more trouble," Kotetsu sneered, leaning his chair back to relax as Naruto glare at him.

                "Thanks for the information," Taitan said, giving a small bow and walked out of the door with the others. Naruto gave Kotetsu his last glare, banging the door close as hard as he could while many stacks of papers began to fly around the room. Izumo gave a small sweat-drop as Kotetsu sat up from his seat angrily with a loud curse.

                "Hokage-sama probably assigns them to a different mission after this," Izumo said, kneeling to the ground and pick up the papers.

                Kotetsu easily caught the still flying papers, glaring at them as if wishing they would burn to bits, "And again, knowing that little fox, he'll probably be asking Hokage-sama for a higher class mission."

                "I definitely know one word that will come out of her mouth, even before he could ask," Izumo grinned crookedly, "A very big and loud ear-threaten-"

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                **_"-NO!!!"_** Tsunade bellowed, surprising everyone, except for Naruto, that's present in the large room as she _gently_ slam her fist onto the table, creating a large crack.

                Eyebrows ticking in irritation, Naruto stares at her with his close fox-like look, "I...haven't said anything yet..."

                "If you even **think** of asking me for a higher class mission, you're definitely not in luck," Tsunade said knowingly, glaring at him from the other side of the table as he return it equally.

                "It's going pretty well so far." Sakura said with a smile.

                Kama watched Naruto from the distance, giving a low mumble, "And we trust him to talk to Hokage-sama?"

                "Out of everyone here beside Sakura-chan, Naruto is the only one who gets along with her the most," Ikazuchi answered with a strained smile, "Both stubborn and very scary."

                Kometto snorted, _Not__ to mention very loud too._

                "Come on, Tsunade! The mission you had given them is not even counted as one!" Naruto said with a frown. "It's called work! Work that belongs to _you_!"

                Ohito grinned, "I knew it wasn't a mission from the start."

                "Naruto, these six Genins are not even ready to take anything outside of this hidden village," Tsunade said, crossing her arms under her chest, "They're still beginner Genins and a C-class mission may be a bit too advance for them."

                "They got me! Nothing to worry about!"

                She rolled her eyes, "_That's_ what I'm worrying about the most."

                "HEY!"

                "The only mission that is the safest are D-class one," Tsunade continued, looking at the scroll in front of her, "I do not wish for any of them to be threaten going on mission higher than that."

                "You never even given them a chance yet, Tsunade!" Naruto exclaimed in frustration, clamping a hand to cover the written scroll, "I don't care what you think of them, but I believe they're ready for anything! I'll give them a chance if I were you!"

                Tsunade raised her eyes to his while they stared at each other, as if having a silent argument. They stared at each other so long that Naruto felt his eyes watering. Until finally, she responded, "No."

                "Heh," Naruto stood up straight, crossing his arms as he held his head up high, "Who would have thought our own Hokage-sama would never listen to other's opinion."

                "Now wait a second here!"

                Sakura nodded in affirmation, "Yes, very well."

                "Well?" Tenko asked, staring at her in bewilderment.

                Naruto shrugged as he continues, "Then again, of course you wouldn't agree because you don't want to be responsible for anything to save less trouble, ne? After those pile of papers I saw in your office, no wonder you made others do your work."

                "Naruto..." Tsunade whispered in a low threatening tone.

                "And what do you do all day? Probably drinking or better yet, use all the money you were given, since you're the Hokage and all, and spend them all on gamblin-"

                **_BAM!!_**

                All the Genins jumped at the sound, looking up at their Hokage in surprise while trailing their eyes to the broken table on the floor. Ikazuchi and even Kama looked a bit uneasy as the people present in the room froze in fear. Naruto, still completely stubborn as a bull, stood there with a smirk on his lips, unaffected from her anger.

                Sakura smiled to herself, "He did it."

                Both male Senseis could only stare at her.

                Tsunade took several breaths, kneeling down to pick up a scroll as she scan them, looking back into his smiling azure eyes, "This mission I'm going to give was suppose to be for you and Sakura only, since it was actually requested. But it seems like you'll be having more people coming along with you."

                The hyper Jounin had the nerve to beam at her as he jumped over the broken desk and stood beside her; an arm placed on her shoulders lazily and leaned in to read the scroll, "What kind of mission is it, Tsunade? Is it exciting? Any action? Ne? Ne?"

                She laughed, "It's a C-class mission, Naruto. You'll be protecting someone and escort him safely home. This is all I'm giving you so better not ask for anything higher."

                Ikazuchi sweat-dropped, "You're right, Sakura-chan."

                "For a moment there, I thought Hokage-sama would do the same to Naruto-sensei the way she had done to the table," Taitan said, scratching behind his head in confusion, "Now they're back, acting as if long-lost friends. Odd relationship they're having..."

                "The person you're protecting is waiting for you outside," Tsunade said, waving him away, "Now go before I change my mind."

                "You're the best, Tsunade!" Naruto said, running towards the group quickly and push them out the room. "Let's go everyone! Our first true mission!"

                Watching them go, Tsunade heaved a heavy sigh as she slumps on her chair, looking down at the pieces of wood from what's left of her table. _For some reason...I'm not regretting this. One SCRATCH on those kids, Naruto, then I'm going to enjoy squashing you slowly and painfully as possible._

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                "Does this remind you of our mission in the past, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked happily, dragging the irritated Ohito behind him. "I wonder who would be requesting us though. It seems like I'm pretty known, ne?"

                "I don't think so, Naruto." Sakura giggled, shaking her head.

                Naruto grumbled, looking around in confusion, "Where's the person we're protecting? I wanna get going!"

                "That'll be me, Naruto-niisan..."

                Naruto paused, eyes widen at the voice he thought he'll never hear again as he slowly turn to face a young dark boy. At the age of fourteen, the boy still haven't change with the same silly grin on his lips, body fully covered carefully in big clothing that seems to swallow him whole with his old bucket-hat on his head. "Inari...?"

                Inari nodded, his black eyes going big as it turns glossy, running up and gave a forceful hug, "Naruto-niisan!"

                "I can't believe it's you!!" Naruto exclaimed, holding him out and examine him excitedly, "Sakura-chan!! It's Inari!"

                Sakura nodded, showing her affection when placing a hand on the boy's head, "It's been a long time, Inari-chan."

                "Sakura-neesan," Inari said properly, his grin sketches even wider across his face.

                "So tell us!" Naruto cried, "Who are we protecting you from??"

                "Nothing, I just want to see you all and welcome you back to Wave Country, just for old times," he answered proudly, "Though I hadn't expected things to change so quickly that you'll be bringing a whole group."

                "Oi, Hoshi," Ohito called, nudging him on the side, "All three know each other, ne?"

                Hoshi sighed, "It's a bit too obvious, don't you think?"

                "Do you know him, Ikazuchi-sensei?" Junpaku asked him curiously.

                "No, never seen or heard of him before but maybe Kama," Ikazuchi replied, looking around in confusion at his missing partner, "Eh? Where did he go?"

                Inari flinched when hearing the name, his body starts to shiver as his hidden fist inside the long sleeve clenched tightly at his side, _Kama...?_

                "I saw him left, Ikazuchi-kun," Sakura answered naturally, releasing her hand from Inari's head and smiled, "He'll catch up to us eventually."

                "Hm?" Tenko faced Naryu when hearing the snow leopard hissing in her ears, looking over at Inari, "You smell fear in him, Naryu?"

                _Fear?_ Hoshi repeated in his mind, overhearing her words while eyeing the laughing Inari, who was chatting happily with Naruto as they began walking through the forest. _Inari__ is afraid of something and he's pretty good at hiding it. What is he so afraid of?_

                A hand on his shoulder snaps him out of his thoughts and looking up at the smiling Sakura, "Keep your eyes open, Hoshi-kun, you'll never know when an enemy will arrive and attack."

                "Yes, Sakura-sensei."

                "Naruto-niisan," Inari whispered, lowering his head as his hat shadowed his eyes, "I wanted to talk to you about something...important."

                "Ne! Do you all want to know why Tsunade became our Fifth Hokage?" Sakura suddenly asked, pushing the Genins ahead.

                Taitan raised an eyebrow, "Because she's the strongest woman on earth that can give one hell of a punch?"

                "And one of the legendary Sennin." Hoshi quickly added.

                Junpaku blinked, "Sennin?"

                "Hokage-sama with two others were pupil under the Third Hokage of the village," Sakura began the story, smiling at Naruto's thankful look, "In the past, she become quite known but not only by her amazing strength, but the fact that she's a Slug-Sennin."

                Ohito looked almost fearful, "S...Slug?"

                "Yes, _slug_," Ikazuchi laughed, ignoring the poor boy who's turning almost blue while smiling nicely to the Genins, "Though, there's rumors that she's not the only one...especially if I had found out that Naruto was the second Frog-Sennin, actually supervised by Jiraiya himself. He's was in Tsunade's team in the past, therefore the other legendary Sennin."

                "Jiraiya," Kometto grunted, stuffing his hands into his pocket, "The most perverted man I ever heard of from the elders."

                "And that also."

                "Alright, Inari, what's wrong?" Naruto asked, hands on his hips while cringing at the large clothing the boy wore, "And aren't you hot in those? It's like ninety degrees out here!"

                "I can feel the heat now, so you don't have to remind me of it. It'll only get hotter," Inari said with a smirk and dismiss it just as quickly, "Naruto-niisan...this mission..."

                "We're _really_ protecting you from someone, are we?" Naruto said intentionally, narrowing his eyes at Inari's shock look, "More than one, perhaps?"

                Inari lowered his cap, "So you notice..."

                "What's happening with the Wave Country now? I thought we had solved the problem already in the past."

                "It had gotten worse just two years ago...a lot worse, Naruto-niisan," he began in a mere whisper, rubbing his arms subconsciously, "The village was doing wonderfully well after the Naruto Bridge was built-"

                "Naruto Bridge?!" he interrupted hastily, eyes widen in surprise, "You _named_ that bridge after me?"

                "Of course! And I'm glad I did!" Inari gave a large cheesy grin, "No one complained about it either."

                Naruto nodded, going back to the subject, "The village...?"

                "The village was controlled by Missing-Nins again, that was what Ojii-san said to me," Inari continued, "I don't know from which village, but there seems to be so many. Ojii-san was hoping the Hunter-Nins will come and get rid of them but it seems like they haven't got any news about it yet."

                "Again with the Missing-Nins? Your village sure attracts attention from them or something. But it's strange though...why didn't you talk to Hokage-sama about this?"

                "Because I'm afraid that the cost of this mission would increase, especially if I'm the one that was able to sneak away from the village to get here. Beside, who would believe a mere boy like me?" Inari sighed in sadness, "I don't trust anyone helping me or the village expect for you and Sakura-neesan. But speaking of that, I requested to the Hokage-sama that I wanted Kakashi-san and Sasuke-niisan as well."

                "Kakashi, the lazy guy, is now teaching the upcoming Genins with Iruka-sensei," Naruto said, his tone changing quietly, "Inari, please...say anything but do _not_ speak about Sasuke in front of Sakura-chan."

                The boy stared at him in puzzlement, "Why?"

                "Something had happened and I don't want Sakura-chan to..." He stopped, shaking his head, "Just don't say anything. Right now, we must concentrate on this mission. You and your grandfather are definitely alike, requesting to do a cheaper mission when it's actually very big."

                "Ojii-san does the same thing too? No wonder! He's the one that told me to do so when I told him my plan to escape the Wave Country."

                "HA! The old geezer!"

                "I want to ask you something...Sakura-neesan mention another person is suppose to come along with us?"

                "Kama? Yeah, I don't know why he isn't here though."

                "Do you...know much about him?" Inari asked as Naruto shook his head. Inari bit his lips in fear, _It must be a different Kama...not the one I know that went missing a few years ago...it can't be him._

                "Well, what do you know? It's starting already," Naruto murmured, arms behind his head while looking to the side at the corner of his eyes with a grin, "Inari...stay close to me."

                "Naruto..." Sakura called him in a warning tone, her back still facing his.

                Ikazuchi smiled, "So you guys sense them too, eh?"

                The Genins, including Inari, can only gaze at them in confusion.

=:*:=

                "There's the little bastard," a deep voice said within the shadows between the trees, watching Inari unpleasantly, "So he had managed to get some help..."

                "That blonde guy beside him looks annoyingly familiar," his companion growled, unsheathing his sword with a flick of his thumb, "I'm going to slice them to piece, Zouri, and want to do it now."

                "It's going to be hard, Waraji, consider those three adults there are Shinobis compare to us samurais," Zouri said, grabbing his own sword.

                Waraji spat, flexing one of his arms that are full of tattoos, "No matter, I had taught someone to become a Shinobi in the past. If they are as pathetic as him, then I'm sure we'll be fine."

                "Your own missing grandson?" Zouri smirked as the old man grinded his teeth in anger, "I still wonder how Inari can escape from us. But orders are orders, so we must either kill him or bring him back to the boss."

                "He'll be dead," Waraji growled, "But we're going to bring him back in three pieces. I'm going to enjoy chopping him for causing us more trouble."

                "Whatever you say."

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gomen: Sorry

-niisan: Big Brother [Inari and even Konohamaru had called Naruto this in the episodes]

-neesan: Big Sister

Ojii-san: Grandfather

Sennin: Sage

**_A/N:_** Zouri and Waraji are the two bodyguards of Gatou in the early episode in the anime Naruto, with Inari as well. Just to let you know if you're confused since I'll be repeating old characters into this story. Arigatou! Oh, whenever I had time, I'll promise to go back on the chapters and redo some stuff, like UchiHA for one. Lolz. Arigatou to you all!

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